The present invention provides methods for altering, modifying or enhancing the creamy, cocoa aroma and/or taste of foodstuffs by adding to such foodstuffs quantities of 2,5-dimethyl-3-thioisovaleryl furan and it further relates to compositions adapted to alter, modify or enhance the creamy, cocoa aroma and/or taste of foodstuffs.
There is a need for materials which can impart a desired flavor and/or aroma to foodstuffs or which can be used to enhance or alter the naturally occurring flavors in foodstuffs. Chocolate- and cocoa-flavored foodstuffs are very popular, and a great deal of effort has gone into the preparation of materials which have a natural chocolate or cocoa flavor and into efforts to improve the chocolate and cocoa flavors of certain types of natural materials.
In the past, it was found that substitute chocolate and cocoa flavoring materials lacked certain flavor and aroma characteristics found in quantity chocolate and cocoa, and the products made from such materials were deficient in such characteristics.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,666,495 provided materials having certain desirable meat, roast meat and roasted fragrance and flavor notes. Such materials are organic oxygen containing heterocyclics wherein the second carbon atom from the oxygen atom contains a sulfur substituent and included 3-thia furan compounds having the structure: ##SPC2##
Wherein R.sub.6, R.sub.7, R.sub.8 and R.sub.9 are the same or different alkyl or hydrogen. The process disclosed in that patent indicated that such furan 3-thiols and alkyl substituted furan 3-thiols can be produced by the reaction of an appropriate dihydro furanone-3-or tetrahydro furanone-3-with hydrogen sulfide in the presence of anhydrous hydrogen chloride at temperatures of -60.degree.C to -100.degree.C.
South African Patent No. 69/4539 dated June 26, 1969 discloses, fr use as intermediates for subsequent reaction with hydrogen sulfide to form flavor compounds, dihydro furyl thioesters having the structure: ##SPC3##
See pages 6 and 7 of the said South African Patent.
Volume 24 "Food Technology" page 535 (May, 1970) (the "Gras IV" list No. 3162) discloses the use as a flavor adjuvant furfural thioacetate having the structure: ##SPC4##
Nothing in the prior art, however, sets forth implicitly or explicitly the 2,5-dimethyl-3-thioisovaleryl furan of our invention and its unique and advantageous and unobvious flavor properties.